Because of the social isolation and mobility restrictions that have been decreed by the health crisis facing the region and the world, restaurants will be forced to readjust their business model to the changes that will come in consumer behavior.
The spread of covid-19 has forced restaurant chains to reinvent themselves in order to continue operating, as in most countries of the region governments have banned the free movement of people and forced most commercial establishments to close.
Faced with these abrupt changes, Juan Bernardez of White Rabbit Saatchi & Saatchi, told Nacion.com that "... The first thing to keep in mind is that this is not a casual change, it is an era change and it will modify consumer behavior for a long time, it will transform the bond, how we relate to each other, how we meet in public spaces, and these are issues very close to the operation of a restaurant."
For Javier Freer, a specialist in strategic business and professor at Lead University, in the current situation, restaurant operations must migrate "... to online and more flexible business models: Opening in a restricted manner, at hours that imply less costs, such as daytime. Working ideally with a single shift of productivity. Even consider whether to physically open only on high-selling days and on low-selling days only to offer take-out meals. To operate in more extensive schedules only in the kitchen, by taking advantage of the use of the resource for the online sale. Operate with fewer staff."
In search of improving conditions to stay alive, the Costa Rican Chamber of Restaurants (Cacore) reported that manages better conditions among its members and different key players in the sector, such as creditors, landlords, shipping platforms and the government.
Covid19: How are the outlook for food industry companies in Central America changing?
Businessmen in El Salvador believe that in most cases home sales are only enough for companies to cover fixed costs and workers' salaries in this health crisis, but they do not visualize it as a long-term solution.
The outbreak of covid-19 in the country forced local authorities to decree home quarantines and to order restaurants to close temporarily, in order to contain the advance of the virus.
Businessmen in the sector in Costa Rica requested the authorities to modify the last restriction, which prohibits restaurants from providing self-service after 5 p.m.
According to directors of the Costa Rican Chamber of Restaurants (Cacore), the measure of sanitary vehicle restriction, which forces establishments to close at 5 pm, has caused a collapse in the express service system itself and through platforms.
In response to the health crisis facing Panama, the sector's union requested government intervention to suspend rent collections and payment of employer's fees.
On April 1, 2020, the Association of Restaurants and Related Industries of Panama (ARAP) sent a note to the Presidency of the Republic, in which they requested that given the crisis that has been generated by the outbreak of covid-19, they be granted a moratorium of 6 months or more.
Because of the threat of the coronavirus, the McDonald's fast food chain announced that as of March 16 in El Salvador it will only serve in self-service stores and deliver to homes.
Although no case of positive covid-19 has yet been reported in El Salvador, the chain decided to restrict its attention to the public, announcing that the measure will be taken indefinitely.
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